Handle lock



Nov. 5, 1963 v J,PA$TENE 3,109,899

HANDLE LOCK Filed Oct. 18, 1960 3,109,899 HANDLE LOCK Alexander I.Pastene, Milwaukee, 'Wis assignor to Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee,Wis, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 63,418 8Claims. (Cl. 266-42) This invention relates to a locking device and moreparticularly to a device for locking a switch operating handle in aselected one of a plurality of operating positions.

While not limited thereto, the invention is especially applicable tomaintenance of the operating handle of a circuit breaker of the thermaland magnetic trip type in either its on or off position.

A plurality of circuit breakers are often mounted in abutting relationin rows or columns on a panelboard. These breakers have an operatinghandle whereby they can be manually turned on and off to close and openthe electrical circuit controlled thereby. These breakers are of thethermal and magnetic trip type whereby they respond to a continuoussmall overload current or to a large overload current to interrupt andthereby protect the associated circuit. Moreover, the mechanism thereofis of the trip-free-of-the-handle type so that the breaker responds toan overload current to open its contacts even if the operaing handlethereof is held in its on position.

It is often desirable to be able to set certain ones of such breakers intheir on position, because of the circuits controlled thereby, so thatthe concerned breakers will not be turned off accidentally or byunauthorized personnel. It is also desirable at times to be able to setcertain breakers in their off position and the concerned breakers shouldnot be turned on accidentally. The breakers which should not be turnedand those which should not be turned on are not readily discernible in alarge bank thereof. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a lockingdevice for maintaining the operating handle of the breaker in thedesired position. Such locking device should be readily insertable inthe selected position and readily removable therefrom so that theattendant can manually operate the breaker when necessary.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide improved means forlocking a manually operablehandle in a selected operating position.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a locking deviceof the aforementioned type which is readily insertable in lockingposition and readily removable therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device of theaforementioned type which is simple in construction, durable andefiicient in function.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

.While the device hereinafter described is effectively adapted tofulfill the objects stated, I do not intend to confine my invention tothe particular preferred embodiment thereof disclosed, inasmuch as it issusceptible of various modifications without departing from the scope ofthe appended claims. i

The invention is hereinafter described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a locking device constructed inaccordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation view of a circuit breaker and afront elevation view of the locking device assembled in locking positionon the breaker.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a locking member 2 comprising asubstantially rectangular piece of spring sheet metal formed along itsmajor axis into a substantially semi-cylindrical or U-shapedconfiguration at its 3,139,899 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 mid-portion 4. Theopposite free ends 61thereof are bent upwardly in opposite directions tolie in a common plane. The corresponding side of each end 6 is providedwith a projection 8 formed integrally therewith as by cutting off theremainder of the end portion thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit breaker is provided with a moldedinsulating housing 10 having a cavity 12 therein for accommodating theoperating mechanism, not shown. The upper wall of housing It is providedwith an opening or aperture 14 through which extends an operating handle16 by which the breaker isturned on and 01-. Operating handle 16 isrotatably mounted in housing It and a complementary cover, not shown,which closes the open side of the housing and aperture 14. Aperture 14which is formed by the housingand cover is of an elongated size topermit reciprocal movement of the operating handle a predeterminedangular amount.

The rear vertical inner wall 18 of aperture 14 is provided adjacent eachhorizontal end thereof with a depression 20. The cover is provided witha pair of similar depressions (not shown) in axial alinement withdepressions 20 in the housing. In a breaker of this type, it may beassumed that the electrical contacts thereof are open when the operatinghandle is in its extreme clockwise position as shown in FIG. 2, and thatsuch contacts are closed when the handle is pivoted to its extremecounterclockwise position. It will be apparent from FIG. 2 that when theoperating handle is in the off position shown, the left-hand depression2% and the corresponding depression in the cover are uncovered by theoperating handle. Also, the right-hand depression 20 and thecorresponding depression in the cover are uncovered by the operatinghandle when the latter is in its on position.

Locking member 2 is constructed so that the linear distance between theextremities of projections 8 is equal to or preferably slightly longerthan the linear distance from the bottom of depression 20 to the bottomof the corresponding depression in the cover. Locking member 2 may beassembled on the breaker by squeezing the resilient U-shaped portion 4thereof to bring projections 8 toward one another and then inserting thesame into aperture 14 so that the projections 8 aline with depression2%) and the corresponding depression in the cover and thereafterreleasing the same to permit the projections to snap into thedepressions. In this position as shown in FIG. 2, the left side ofU-shaped portion 4 abuts the left end wall of aperture 14 and the rightsides of the bent ends 6 of the locking member rest against the cornersof the operating handle at 22. As projections 8 are confined in theiraccommodating depressions, member 2 rigidly holds the operating handle16 immobile in its off position as shown. Due to the linear dimensionsaforementioned locking member 2 remains slightly under stress whereby itis firmly held in this position.

Member 2 may be readily removed by squeezing the same as aforementioneduntil projections 8 clear the depressions and bodily lifting the samefrom aperture 14.

Member 2 may be similarly assembled to lock the opertaing handle in itson position. When the handle is pivoted to its extreme counterclockwiseon position, turning locking member 2 one-hundred and eight degreesaffords insertion thereof on the right side of handle 16 whereinprojections 8 are received in the right-hand depression 20 and thecorresponding depression in the cover to lock the operating handle.

An essential feature of the invention is to provide a readily insertableand removable locking device for the operating handle of a circuitbreaker which is economical to manufacture and which may be employed torigidly hold the operating handle in either its on or oil position.

I claim:

1. In a circuit breaker having a housing and an operating handleextending through an opening to the exterior of the housing and beingreciprocably movable to a plurality of operating positions, means forlocking the operating handle in a selected operating position comprisinga locking device partiallyinsertable in the handle opening in thehousing in abutting relation to the operating handle, and cooperatingportions on said device and on the housing at the sides of said handleopening which parallel the general direction of reciprocatory movementof said handle, said cooperating portions being effective to securelyretain said device in such opening thereby to prevent movement of theoperating handle, said locking device comprising a resilient membernormally uninsertable in the handle opening and being strainable toallow insertion of at least a portion thereof in the opening, release ofsaid member when so inserted effecting engagement of said cooperatingportions.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient member isprovided with one side for abutting a Wall of the handle opening andanother side for abutting the handle when inserted in such opening.

3. In a circuit breaker having a housing and an operating handleextending through an opening to the exterior of the housing and beingreciprocably movable to a plurality of operating positions, inner sidewalls formed in said housing on opposite sides of said opening in saidhousing parallel to'the direction of reciprocatory movement of saidoperating handle, means for locking the operating handle in a selectedoperating position comprising a locking device partially insertable inthe handle opening in the housing in abutting relation to the operatinghandle, and cooperating portions on said device and on the housing forsecurely retaining said device in such opening thereby to preventmovement of the operating handle, said locking device comprising apreformed resilient spring member, and said cooperating portionscomprising projecting portions on said member for engaging portions ofsaid opposite inner side walls of the handle opening.

4. A handle locking device for an electric switch comprising asemicylindrical resilient member having at its free ends lateralprojections extending in opposite directions in a substantially commonplane, said member being partially and readily insertable when flexed inthe handle opening in the switch housing in abutting relation to thehandle and an inner wall of the handle opening wherein when releasedsaid projections securely engage corresponding recesses in the sidewalls of said handle opening which parallel the general direction ofreciprocatory movement of said handle, and said resilient member beingreadily removable from the handle opening when flexed.

5. In a circuit breaker, in combination, an insulating housing having abase provided with an open side, an insulating cover closing said openside, an operating handle opening in said base and cover, an operatinghandle rotatably journaled in said base and cover and extending to theexterior thereof, said opening being elongated to afford reciprocalmovement of said handle to turn the breaker to its on and off operatingpositions, opposed recesses in said base and cover adjacent one end ofsaid opening, a handle locking device comprising a resilient memberhaving alined projections extending in opposite directions, the normaldistance between the extremities of said projections being greater thanthe distance between the walls of said opening immediately adjacent saidrecesses, squeezing of said resilient member causing reduction of saidnormal distance to allow insertion of said member in said opening clearof said walls thereof, and release of said member allowing the biastherein to cause spreading thereof to effect engagement of saidprojections in said recesses, said member when so inserted engaging awall of said opening and said handle to lock the latter in one operatingposition.

6. The invention defined in claim 5, together with opposed recesses insaid base and cover adjacent the other end of said opening for receivingsaid projections on said resilient member thereby to lock said handle inits other operating position.

7. In a circuit breaker having a housing and an operating handleextending through an opening to the exterior of the housing, the openingbeing elongated to afford reciprocal movement of the operating handle toon and off positions, the improvement comprising a pair of opposedrecesses adjacent each end of the opening in the opposite inner wallsthereof, a handle locking device for locking the operating handle ineither its on" or off position, said device comprising a resilientU-shaped member made of spring metal, the ends of said member being bentoutwardly into a common plane and each having a projection thereon, saidmember being resiliently deformable to clear the inner Walls of theopening and being thus partially insertable in the latter with saidprojections in alinement with one pair of said recesses when theoperating handle is in its on position and in alinement with the otherpair of said recesses when the operating handle is in its 01f position,the operating handle covering one pair of said recesses in each positionthereof to permit insertion of said member only in the correct position,and the bias of said resilient member when released causing saidprojections to spring in the selected pair of recesses to lock theoperating handle in the selected position.

8. The invention defined in claim 7, wherein said projections areadjacent one side of said member and such side engages an end wall ofthe handle opening, and the other side of said member extends from the'opening in overlying relation to the operating handle and the bent endsat the other side thereof engage the operating handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,192,060 Wise Feb. 27, 1940 2,484,424 Rosing Oct. 11, 1949 2,625,617Ballou Ian. 13, 1953 2,937,248 Michetti May 17, 1960

1. IN A CIRCUIT BREAKER HAVING A HOUSING AND AN OPERATING HANDLEEXTENDING THROUGH AN OPENING TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSING AND BEINGRECIPROCABLY MOVABLE TO A PLURALITY OF OPERATING POSITIONS, MEANS FORLOCKING THE OPERATING HANDLE IN A SELECTED OPERATING POSITION COMPRISINGA LOCKING DEVICE PARTIALLY INSERTABLE IN THE HANDLE OPENING IN THEHOUSING IN ABUTTING RELATION TO THE OPERATING HANDLE, AND COOPERATINGPORTIONS ON SAID DEVICE AND ON THE HOUSING AT THE SIDES OF SAID HANDLEOPENING WHICH PARALLEL THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENTOF SAID HANDLE, SAID COOPERATING PORTIONS BEING EFFECTIVE TO SECURELYRETAIN SAID DEVICE IN SUCH OPENING THEREBY TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF THEOPERATING HANDLE, SAID LOCKING DEVICE COMPRISING A RESILIENT MEMBERNORMALLY UNINSERTABLE IN THE HANDLE OPENING AND BEING STRAINABLE TOALLOW INSERTION OF AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF IN THE OPENING, RELEASE OFSAID MEMBER WHEN SO INSERTED EFFECTING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID COOPERATINGPORTIONS.